Illinois
Air Pollution Action Day declared in northern Illinois. Here’s which counties are affected
EPA issues air quality warnings due to Canada fires
In the U.S., smoke from Canadian wildfires was detected drifting through Montana, North Dakota and northern Minnesota.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency declared an Air Pollution Action Day today in the Chicago Metropolitan area due to elevated particle pollution caused by Canadian wildfire smoke.
Here’s what you should know about best practices and who’s likely to be most affected.
What is an Action Day?
Action Days are typically called when the air quality index, also known as the AQI, gets into unhealthy ranges, according to the U.S. AQI website.
In Illinois, an Air Pollution Action Day is issued when the air quality is forecast to be at or above the Orange category for two or more consecutive days, meaning the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The Illinois EPA said in a news release that wildfire smoke would likely continue to have an impact on particulate levels in the northern third of Illinois, with Orange AQI levels on June 4th and June 5th, posing a potential health hazard to sensitive populations. Surface smoke may also have impacts further south in areas with a Moderate/Yellow forecast.
Where is Action Day being issued?
The Action Day includes the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Grundy, Lake, McHenry and Will, according to the Illinois EPA.
What should you do on Action Days?
The EPA recommends businesses and residents take part in the following activities to reduce air pollution:
- Limit Driving – combine errands, walk, or bike if possible.
- If driving, avoid idling, consolidate errands and keep your vehicle and other engines properly tuned.
- Conserve energy to reduce energy demands.
- Use environmentally friendly household and cleaning products.
- Avoid using gasoline-powered equipment like lawnmowers and leaf blowers.
- Notify colleagues, friends and family to help protect their health and encourage actions.
Who is most at risk?
Those most at risk due to air pollution are individuals with respiratory or pulmonary disorders, as well as children and adults who are active outdoors.
People in these groups should follow their doctor’s advice and look out for symptoms like wheezing, coughing, a fast heartbeat, fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath. If symptoms worsen, you should call your physician or 911.
AQI scale explained
Here’s a breakdown of the EPA’s AQI scale for those who are unaware:
- Good (0 to 50): Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
- Moderate (51 to 100): Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101 to 150): Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
- Unhealthy (151 to 200): Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
- Very Unhealthy (201 to 300): Health alert. The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
- Hazardous (301 and higher): Health warning of emergency conditions. Everyone is more likely to be affected.
Air quality map
Illinois will get $1.1 million of a $45 million, 45-state settlement with money transfer app Cash App’s parent company, which was accused of misleading customers about the app’s security.
Block Inc. will face $55 million in civil penalties and also have to pay customers nationwide somewhere from $75 million to $120 million as part of the settlement, which includes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In a statement, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the settlement holds the company accountable and requires it to “change its harmful practices.”
“Block told Cash App users their money was safe and falsely implied that the app worked like a bank, with the same protections,” Raoul said. “Block was aware that fraud on its platform was rising sharply and failed to warn users, strengthen protections or provide real help to users when things went wrong.”
A company spokesperson confirmed the settlement and said the company has made “significant investments in consumer protection, customer service, and compliance.”
“We share the commitment of the attorneys general to addressing industry challenges and continue to invest in operations and technology to promote a safe and healthy financial ecosystem,” the spokesperson said in a statement provided to the Sun-Times Wednesday night.
The lawsuit accused the company of not preventing fraud, and even of having systems that made it easier to commit that fraud. Minimal identity verification allowed someone to create fake or multiple accounts, and the company had no phone support line. Instead, customers who had been defrauded often were provided by those fraudsters with fake online customer support phone numbers, the suit alleged.
As part of the agreement, the company must offer at least 13.5 hours of human-staffed phone lines per day as part of 24-hour support, as well as reimburse customers for fraudulent transactions, stop marketing the app as safe and educate users about the dangers of fraud.
SERENA, Ill. – An 8-year-old girl has died after she was struck by lightning while outside in the backyard of her home in LaSalle County over the Fourth of July weekend.
Girl killed by lightning strike
What we know:
The LaSalle County Coroner’s office said it was called to emergency department at OSF St. Elizabeth Hospital in Ottawa on the evening of July 3 after the child was brought in following the lightning strike.
A forensic autopsy was conducted on Sunday. Preliminary findings determined the girl died from injuries caused by the lightning strike.
What we don’t know:
Officials have not yet released the child’s identity.
The incident remains under investigation by the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office and the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office.
The Source: The information in this report came from the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office.
LAKE GENEVA, Wis. – We’re learning more about the victims in Friday’s tragedy on Geneva Lake.
Three kids, ages 10, seven, and six, were killed after they were trapped in the sinking boat during the severe storms.
Officials won’t comment on their identities, but FOX6 learned at least two of them were students at the Community Unit School District 200 (CUSD 200) in Wheaton, Illinois.
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The district released a statement, saying:
“On behalf of Community Unit School District 200, our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the children who died in a tragic boating incident in Lake Geneva on July 3. We ask that you join us in supporting these families during this difficult time, and keep them in your thoughts as we all cope with this incredible loss.”
Lake Geneva Police Chief statement
What we know:
The City of Lake Geneva Police Department is opening up on the incident and the property destruction caused by the storms.
The police chief says, in part:
“In moments of tragedy, we often see the very best in people, and that has certainly been true here. While there is still healing ahead, I hope everyone knows how grateful we are for the outpouring of support shown over these past several days. It has been humbling to witness and a reminder that no one faces hardship alone when a community stands together.”
–Chief Ed Gritzner, City of Lake Geneva Police Department
The backstory:
Walworth County experienced what law enforcement described as a “sudden and severe” storm on July 3. The National Weather Service said it created a downburst with peak winds estimated at 90–100 mph.
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The storm downed hundreds of trees and power lines, damaged several buildings and created hazardous boating conditions on Geneva Lake. One boat with 10 people on board overturned and ultimately sank.
Six adults and one child were rescued from the water, while three of the kids were missing when emergency responders got there. Those three children were found and later died despite life-saving attempts.
Emergency response on Geneva Lake after storms lead to calls for water rescue on July 3, 2026.
Who was on the boat?
The latest:
The three children who died have been identified as a 10-year-old girl, a 7-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy.
The boat operator was a 47-year-old man. The other passengers were a 75-year-old man, a 73-year-old woman, a 49-year-old woman, a 46-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy.
The group included residents of Fontana, as well as residents of Batavia and Wheaton, Illinois. All four kids were wearing properly fitted life jackets, according to law enforcement.
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What happened on Geneva Lake?
Dig deeper:
Law enforcement said the boat operator had “extensive boating experience” and was unable to find safe harbor when the storm hit. At least two large waves broke over the bow, causing it to take on water. Another wave hit the side of the boat, causing it to roll, capsize and sink.
The sunken vessel was found in 32 feet of water, and three children were found inside the boat. Divers were able to get them out and bring them to the surface, and they were pronounced dead despite life-saving attempts. Investigators determined they had no external injuries and drowned.
What’s next:
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency are still conducting a joint investigation into the accident. Eleven other agencies assisted with the immediate needs.
The Source: Information in this post comes from the City of Lake Geneva Police Department and Community Unit School District 200 (CUSD 200), along with prior
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